December 9, 2016 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Key Myelin Protein, MBP, Seen to Break Down Differently in Brains of MS Patients ResearchersĀ monitoring the decomposition of an abundant brain protein, called myelin basic protein (MBP), discovered that this protein breaks down differently in people withĀ multiple sclerosis (MS) than it does in those without the disease, particularly in two surface regions, and that difference may be the trigger for immune reactions and myelin…
December 6, 2016 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Study Detailing New Way T-cells Attack Myelin May Explain Why Some MS Therapies Fail In a new and possibly important insight into the workings of the immune system, researchers discovered what it takes for T-cells to start targeting myelin sheets in multiple sclerosis (MS). The findings may also explain why some drugs fail to prevent autoimmunity in MS. The study, āTrans-presentation…
November 3, 2016 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Myelin May Hold Raw Material for Immunizing MS Patients Against Demyelination Immunization with molecules present specifically in myelin may be a new approach to treating multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a recent study that found that the mouse version of such molecules could stopĀ ongoing diseaseĀ processes in an MS mouse model. The study, “Targeting Non-classical Myelin Epitopes to Treat…
October 25, 2016 News by Marina Anastasiou MS Researcher Wins Fritz Krauth Award from Paralyzed Veterans of America The 2016 Fritz Krauth Award was given by the Paralyzed Veterans of AmericaĀ to Dr. Sarah Moyon, a researcher focusing on ways to understand and treat symptoms of diseases like multiple sclerosis (MS) and those of the spine.Ā The award ceremony took place atĀ Cleveland, Ohio, at the bi-annual board meeting of…
October 24, 2016 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Study of Myelin-producing Cells a Step Forward for MS, Other Neurological Disorders A study found that the cells responsible for the production of myelinĀ selectively introduce a myelin-insulating layer in a particular set of neuronal axons in the brainās white matter. This represents a step forward in the basic mechanisms that may underlie neurological disorders, including multiple sclerosis (MS). Also, aĀ newly developed method…
October 19, 2016 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Apitope Regains Full Rights to Potential MS Therapy, ATX-MS-1467 ApitopeĀ andĀ Merck KGaAĀ announced that they have entered into an exclusive agreement regardingĀ ATX-MS-1467, a potential disease-modifying therapy for Ā multiple sclerosis (MS). Under itsĀ terms, Apitope will regain full global rights over ATX-MS-1467, as well as allĀ clinical data related to the compound. In 2009, the companyĀ grantedĀ exclusive global rights toĀ Merck KGaA to develop…
October 17, 2016 News by Patricia Silva, PhD National Multiple Sclerosis Society Commits $10.5M to Fund 42 Research Efforts The National Multiple Sclerosis SocietyĀ announced thatĀ is investing more than $10.5 million to support an anticipatedĀ 42 new research projects intoĀ multiple sclerosis (MS), part of its commitmentĀ to scientificĀ efforts aimed atĀ stopping MS, restoring lost function to patients, and, ultimately, ending the disease forever. The dedicated fundingĀ is part of aĀ projected society investment of…
October 13, 2016 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Heparin for MD Myelin Repair to Be Studied in United Kingdom The MS SocietyĀ in the United Kingdom is funding a new project at the University of Glasgow, in Scotland,Ā to examine if Ā heparin, a drug widely used for stroke patients, can repair neurological damage in people with multiple sclerosis (MS). MS is a progressive, debilitating, immune-mediated, neurodegenerative disorder in which…
September 30, 2016 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Instability of Myelin Membranes May Be True Trigger of MS, Study Reports In multiple sclerosis (MS), scientists have long believed that the body’s own immune systemĀ attacked myelin sheaths,Ā the “insulating tape” that surrounds neurons, causingĀ the disease. But researchers at Tel Aviv University are challenging that view, inĀ a study reporting that MS may in fact be triggeredĀ byĀ an instability inherent in the myelin membranes. The…
September 22, 2016 News by Ćzge Ćzkaya, PhD Single Treatment Protects Myelin and Reverses Paralysis in MS Study in Mice Researchers showed that it could be possible to treat and cure inflammatory diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS) by injecting a single dose of biodegradable polymer particles containing myelin self-antigen into the lymph nodes.
September 7, 2016 News by Joana Fernandes, PhD Breast Cancer Therapy, Tamoxifen, May Promote Myelin Repair in MS Tamoxifen (brand name, Nolvadex), a widely used treatment for breast cancer, can also be used to treat myelin loss in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), a new study suggests. The finding, by a team of researchers at the University of Cambridge, U.K., was published in a study titled “…
August 3, 2016 News by InĆŖs Martins, PhD Cornell Scientists Tag and Track Lipid Signaling in Cells, a Possible Force in MS Development Understanding lipid signaling in multiple sclerosis (MS) may be the key to developing more effective therapies for the disease. New work by researchers atĀ Cornell UniversityĀ couldĀ bring us closer to unraveling the role of lipids in MSĀ development. Lipids are fat molecules that compose the cellular membranes and surround each organelle inside…
July 26, 2016 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Queenās University Belfast Awarded Ā£2M in Bid to Reverse Myelin Damage in MS Researchers at Queenās University BelfastĀ are studyingĀ how myelin might be repaired, in an attempt to reverse the damage caused by multiple sclerosis (MS). The more than Ā£2 million, five-year research grantĀ is jointly funded by Ā the Wellcome Trust, in its first Investigator AwardĀ forĀ Northern Ireland, and by theĀ BBSRC, the Biotechnology and Biosciences…
July 21, 2016 News by InĆŖs Martins, PhD Study of Potential Therapy for Relapsing MS That Targets B-Cells Now Recruiting Patients in US Patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS)Ā are being recruited forĀ aĀ clinical trial evaluatingĀ an experimental monoclonal antibody called ublituximab, the National MS Society announced in a recentĀ newsĀ release. The study, being conducted at seven U.S. sites, will enroll at least 24 patients, but this number can go up to 100. MSĀ is considered to be…
July 20, 2016 News by InĆŖs Martins, PhD Study That May Benefit MS Patients Awarded Grant from National Stem Cell Foundation A research project that aims to explore how astrocytes can be manipulated to stop or prevent neurodegeneration has received a grant from the National Stem Cell Foundation (NSCF). The projectĀ will be conducted by the The New York Stem Cell Foundation (NYSCF) Research Institute. TheĀ work developed by Dr. Valentina…
June 17, 2016 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Myelin-Producing Brain Cells Seen for 1st Time to Be Highly Diverse and Specialized Oligodendrocytes ā brain cells that wrap themselves around neurons to produce myelin ā are much more diverse than previously believed. ScientistsĀ in Sweden, using a newĀ type of sequencing, have discovered more thanĀ a dozen different kinds, including anĀ oligodendrocyte subtype involved in motor learning, a finding that might spur new research into protecting…
June 14, 2016 News by InĆŖs Martins, PhD Myelination Relies on Mechanical Stimuli Like That Used for Bone Repair, Study Finds Researchers at the University of Buffalo’s Hunter James Kelly Research InstituteĀ (HJKRI) discoveredĀ that the cells that form myelin in the nervous system respond to mechanical stimulation by activating molecules from a specific pathway, which are transferredĀ to the nucleus, triggering myelination. The findings, which may be key to developing new therapies…
May 9, 2016 News by InĆŖs Martins, PhD Combined Use of Imaging Techniques Allows Scientists to Peer Into Myelin Formation TheĀ evolution of the myelin sheath throughout childhood has beenĀ visualizedĀ in vivoĀ for a first time, according toĀ findingsĀ reported in the study “Mapping an index of the myelin g-ratio in infants using magnetic resonance imaging,” published in the journalĀ NeuroImage. To function well, nerve cells in theĀ brain rely on…
April 27, 2016 News by Patricia Silva, PhD Gut Bacteria Affects Myelin Content and Induces MS-Like Depression in Mice, Study Reports Researchers atĀ the Center of Excellence for Myelin Repair, a part of Mount Sinai, reportedĀ that gut bacteria produce compounds that were seen to affect theĀ myelinĀ content in mice and cause social avoidance behaviors. StudyĀ results indicated that targeting gut bacteria, or the gut metabolites, mightĀ help in treatingĀ neuropsychiatric disorders or complications, such as those…
April 5, 2016 News by admin Fingolimod (Gilenya) Shown to Benefit Neurons as Well as Immune System The immune system-suppressing multiple sclerosis (MS) drug fingolimod (Gilenya) also has potentially beneficialĀ effects on the nervous system, according to a recent study,Ā “The multiple sclerosis drug fingolimod (FTY720) stimulates neuronal gene expression, axonal growth and regeneration.“Ā The article appeared onlineĀ March 12 in an earlyĀ version ofĀ the journalĀ …
March 31, 2016 News by admin Diabetic Oral Drugs Like Metformin Eased MS Symptoms in People with Both Diseases, Study Reports New research from Argentina explores the idea that controlling symptoms of type 2 diabetes (metabolic syndrome) can also beneficially impact multiple sclerosis (MS) disease progression. The study,“Immunologic Effects of Metformin and Pioglitazone Treatment on Metabolic Syndrome and Multiple Sclerosis,“ appeared March 7 in the journal…
March 24, 2016 News by admin MS Animal Study Suggests That Placental Cells Might Serve as Future Stem Cell Therapy Research on a specific type ofĀ stem cell found in the placenta, known asĀ decidua-derived mesenchymal stem cells (DMSC), suggests these cells might be the source of futureĀ treatments for multiple sclerosis. The report,Ā “Restrained Th17 response and myeloid cell infiltration into the central nervous system by human decidua-derived mesenchymal stem…
February 22, 2016 News by admin MS Stem Cell Therapies Show Promise, But More Work Is Needed, Researcher Tells ACTRIMS 2016 Dr. Andrew Goodman of the University of RochesterĀ discussedĀ the latest research and perspectives on stem cell strategiesĀ forĀ people with multiple sclerosis (MS), saying in a presentation at the Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ACTRIMS) Forum 2016Ā thatĀ such therapies, while promising,Ā are not yet ready for widespread clinical use. New therapies…
January 28, 2016 News by Margarida Azevedo, MSc MS Researchers Watch as Myelin-producing Cells Migrate and Mature Researchers have described the mechanisms by which cell precursors of oligodendrocytes ā the cells responsible for the generation of myelin in the central nervous system āĀ migrate from their birthplace to their workplace during brain and spinal cord development, and begin to mature and wrap aboutĀ nerve fibers. The finding, the authors…
January 28, 2016 News by Patricia Silva, PhD MS Researchers ID Protein That Works to Block Nervous System Remyelination A study from the University of Cambridge showed that the membrane-bound signaling protein EphrinB3, which acts by inhibiting the maturation of oligodendrocytes, also blocks the remyelination of damaged neurons in multiple sclerosis (MS). The study,Ā “Antibody-mediated neutralization of myelin-associated EphrinB3 accelerates CNS re-myelination,“Ā uncovered a new target toĀ explore…
January 25, 2016 News by admin Some Forms of MS Might Be Treatable with Hematopoietic Stem Cells Clinical trials suggestĀ that hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), a common treatment for bone marrow and blood cancers, could also help people with multiple sclerosis (MS). The technique involves harvesting new, undeveloped blood or bone marrow (hematopoietic) cells, typically from the person affected with the disease (autologous). The goal is to…
January 19, 2016 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Vitamin D’s Influence on MS Target of New Study A team of researchers recently discovered two novel multiple sclerosis (MS)-associated genes that are regulated by vitamin D levels. The study, titled āThe multiple sclerosis susceptibility genes TAGAP and IL2RA are regulated by vitamin D in CD4+ T cells,ā was published in the advanced online section ofĀ …
January 6, 2016 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Potential Mechanism in MS Pathogenesis Seen in Study Researchers found that a group of untreated patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and patients with chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME) carry a specific group of hyperactivated immune cells, the inflammatory CD8+ T cells, suggesting a potential common mechanism contributing to disease pathogenesis. The study, āA Preliminary Comparative…
December 21, 2015 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD MS Active and Inactive Lesions Differ in Levels of Enzymes that Drive Glucose Metabolism A research team recently showed that key enzymes of energy metabolism pathways are differentially expressed in active and inactive multiple sclerosis (MS) lesions, and may contribute to axonal degeneration in MS. The study, titled āDifferential expression of glucose-metabolizing enzymes in multiple sclerosis lesions,ā was published in the…
December 16, 2015 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD MS May Be Triggered by the Death of Brain Cells Researchers are proposing for a first timeĀ thatĀ multiple sclerosis (MS) is triggered by the death of a specific cell population within the central nervous system called oligodendrocytes. The study, titled āOligodendrocyte death results in immune-mediated CNS demyelination,ā was published in the journal Nature Neuroscience. Oligodendrocytes,…